October 2021 Newsletter

4th October 2021

Dear Parents

Fáilte

Fáilte romhaibh ar ais ar scoil. It is great to see all of the children back settling into school. A particular welcome to our new Junior Infants, Phoebe, Isabelle, Nina, Toby, & Oliver. We would also like to extend a big Gurraneasig welcome to Scarlett, Cherie, Vivienne, Tristan, Gabi & Jasper who have recently joined us.

Covid Response Plan

Our Covid Response plan has remained relatively unchanged from last year and is available on the school website. Please take a moment to read the recent email that was sent in relation to updates regarding close contacts. Return to school forms must be completed following an illness.

Child Protection

Our updated Child Protection Policy and Safeguarding statement is also available on the school website. Please Note that Ms.Tighe is our DDP, and Ms. McGrath is our DDLP.

School Opening hours

Thank you for your continued support regarding our staggered drop off and collection times. Please note that children should not be on school grounds before 9.20. A member of staff will open the school gates at 9.20 (for the first of the staggered arrivals). We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

We would ask that you collect your child/children promptly at your allotted collection time. This is particularly important, as we have extra demands this year regarding staff meetings and debriefings.

Pupil Absence

Should your child be absent/late/early leaving from school please inform us in writing/by email/or by completing an absence note for him/her on return to school.
Schools’ obligations under Tusla (The Educational Welfare Services of the Child and Family Agency) guidelines specify that any child with 20 days absence (or greater) have to be reported to Tusla. As a forewarning on approaching that absence level, our school will send a notification to the parents of a child who has reached 15 days absence. Issues concerning illness would not ordinarily be notified to the Welfare Board. The Sign-Out Register will be in operation again this year and should be used if your child is leaving the school early for any reason.

Summer Works

During the summer, our school roof was refurbished, our carpark developed and the entire school was painted internally and externally. I would like to thank the Board of Management & Staff for giving their time to the projects so generously, to the contractor involved and to Barry Madden & Co for all of their help.

Sacraments

We celebrated First Holy Communion last Thursday. It was a beautiful ceremony and the children involved made us very proud. Congratulations and well done to Mae, Megan, Orla, Ryan and Max.

Christmas Cards for School Fundraiser

The children will design their own Christmas cards and they will be printed with their name, class and school name on the back. Parents will be able to order them in due course. More details to follow.

Big Beach Clean up

We recently took part in the Big Beach Clean Up 2021 - and collected two refuse sacks of waste from Howe Strand. We loved doing our part to keep our little slice of heaven just that!

Kilbrittain GAA

We are delighted to welcome Kilbrittain GAA to the school to deliver a series of 12 lessons this term. The children have given very positive feedback and are enjoying the sessions. Remember to bring spare clothes etc. on Tuesdays!

Staff Training Day

We will close at 12pm on November 11th to facilitate a staff training day - please note the earlier collection time in your diary.

School Uniform

The official tracksuit uniform is Red polo shirt with crest. Navy tracksuit with red piping & a crest on the sweater. Shoes / trainers are to be plain, dark & flat.
Alternative Option from the tracksuit bottom Girls:- Plain navy skirt / pinafore (with red or navy tights or red or navy long socks) or Plain navy trousers / unbranded track bottoms e.g. Dunnes/O’Neill’s (soft shell). Boys:- Plain navy trousers e.g. Dunnes/O’Neill’s (soft shell). Plain navy shorts may be worn for all during the summer months. Other than the school crest, no decorations / patterns / other crests or logos please on any item of clothing. Alternative option to be worn ONLY WITH official school red polo shirt with crest and school navy tracksuit top with crest Spare Uniforms are available at the front door.

Book Rental Scheme & Homework Diaries / Classroom Resources

Monies payable for these ( €25 - Junior & Senior Room, €33.50 - Middle Room ) can be paid online (see paragraph below - Payments to school), given to your child’s class teacher in a clearly labelled envelope

Year/Term Costs

The school is ever aware of outgoings for parents and have strived to keep our yearly costs to a minimum. Costs for this term remain at €45.

Teacher Contact

An appointment can be made via the school office or school email address – secretary@gurraneasigns.com to meet the class teacher. We will endeavour to deal with most queries over email/phone this school year. If an appointment is requested with the Principal, please ensure that any relevant issues have first been discussed with the class teacher. As the Principal is a Teaching Principal, appointments may have to be arranged for outside teaching time.

Medical Conditions

Should your child have any medical condition / allergy that could possibly require intervention please furnish the details of the same to Ursula so that we have up to date medical info where appropriate.

Healthy Eating/Allergies

Unfortunately we cannot accept birthday cakes,etc being brought into classes for other children to share due to numerous allergies that children have. Friday remains an individual treat day.

Personal Details

Text-a-Parent Please ensure that you have given up-to-date phone & email contact details to the school office. Occasionally, parents change their phone/number and forget to inform the school. This is especially true of the mobile number required for our Text-a-Parent service. If there are any important changes in Personal contact details, please inform the school as soon as possible. Text-a-Parent App Please download the free TextaParent App to your phone so that school messages and calendar updates can now be sent to the App. https://app.textaparent.ie/get/app

School Calendar 2021/2022

Please see the attached School Calendar for all School Closures.

Car parking & One-way system

Our informal one way system works well for the school during our start & finish times. If you don’t know about it, please ask. The one way is used by the parents of the school. Please be considerate to the locals, they are not party to this informal one way system, so be prepared to meet traffic. The local community use the road as normal. Please be aware and DRIVE SLOWLY & CAREFULLY. Always slow your speed in the vicinity of the school. Parents are requested NOT TO PARK IN THE ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL on the yellow box, but to park safely in the school vicinity. Please DO NOT PARK ON NEIGHBOURS GRASS. DO NOT BLOCK neighbouring entrances / laneways or any access areas.

Traffic / Speeding

Please be mindful of all others travelling to school. We have some families who walk and cycle to school, which as an Active & Green school, we encourage. School has over the past year received complaints of excessive speeding/dangerous driving at drop-off and collection times. School advises all to arrive and depart safely at school regardless of time and road/weather conditions. The school has contacted Cork County Council & Kilbrittain Garda Station in relation to road traffic. We will also liaise with local Gardaí in relation to applying for a special speed limit of 30kmph in the school vicinity. Thank you for your continued cooperation in promoting the health & safety of our school community.

Parents Association(PA)

The PA is, year on year, a wonderful support to our school. It works very hard to help make Gurraneasig N.S. a better place for the children. The PA is also a wonderful opportunity for the parents of our school to get involved and feel part of the school community.

Pupil Accident Insurance

Please note the PA who organise payment of this invaluable insurance policy have asked that when you are paying your classroom resources costs could you please add on your payment for this policy €8 per child(24-hour cover)- and Ursula will pass it on to the PA.

Payments to school

Some parents prefer to pay school costs etc on line. If you wish to do so, please note the schools bank details below: Allied Irish Bank South Main Street Bandon Co. Cork Account Name: Gurraneasig National School 1 Account IBAN: IE61AIBK 9340 4607 3040 47 BIC: AIBKIE2D For reference please put your childs name & item (Tour, Term cost etc) so we will know who the transaction applies to.

Secretary

Ursula works on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays.

Mar focal scoir

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your child all the best for the coming year. “Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí”.

Is mise le meas

Ms Maeve Tighe Príomhoide